Tragedy struck on Monday as gunmen killed Hassan Ahmed, a major-general of the Nigerian Army, during an attack along the Abuja-Lokoja highway in the Abaji area of the federal capital territory (FCT).
The assailants also reportedly abducted the officer’s wife after carrying out the deadly attack.
According to sources, the incident occurred while the senior military officer and his wife were returning to Abuja from Okene in Kogi State.
The attackers were said to have ambushed the vehicle conveying the couple and opened fire, killing the general on the spot.
The driver attached to the officer reportedly survived the attack after allegedly pretending to be dead while the gunmen operated.
The attackers reportedly whisked away the wife of the deceased officer to an unknown destination, raising fresh concerns over insecurity along major highways linking the Federal Capital Territory to other parts of the country.
Ahmed was a prominent figure within the Nigerian Army and had served in several strategic capacities during his military career.
Before his death, he served as a director at the Army Headquarters following his appointment by Faruk Yahaya, a former Chief of Army Staff.
He also previously held the position of Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, a key office responsible for military discipline, investigations, and law enforcement within the armed forces.
As of the time of filing this report, the military hierarchy had yet to issue an official statement regarding the attack or the abduction of the officer’s wife.